Pink and Thrifty

I've already declared my passion for thrifty and ethical fashion. This post contains some more tips on finding unexpected treasures. We've been de-cluttering recently. Besides the regular charity drop-offs, we've found car boots a great way of getting rid of 'stuff' and making a few pennies in the process. However, every so often, I do make a teeny weeny purchase at the car boots, like this gorgeous Gap jumper for 10p(!!). I  had to check twice to make sure I heard right. 

It is also worth mentioning that whilst I love bargains, I'm a great believer in quality over quantity. I often seek out better/designer brands on my treasure hunts as they often tend to last much longer. I'm hardly Anna Wintour's side-kick but I do observe how trends and designs trickle down from the designer domes to the watered down versions you find on the high street. So if you can invest in an original piece of quality design wear, if its something you love and at a bargain price, you certainly should. On my public sector wage, I mostly stick to charity shop finds or designer collaborations.

The skirt I'm wearing is Preen for Debenhams ( in the sale, thank you) and a favourite. My shoes are Zara (£1+ postage on eBay), my bag is a pre-loved Marc Jacobs and my cheeky flip-flop earrings are from FabIndia.

Have you got any tips to share on where to find a cool bargain? Ann x

Afternoon Walks and Ethical Fashion

Sunny days in the UK are to be treasured. More so as we head towards winter. Today was lovely and  sunny so hubby and I decided to go for a little walk near where we live. It was also great light to photograph/share some of my treasured ethical fashion buys. Ethical fashion may mean different things to different people. In essence it involves a sustainable attitude towards fashion related consumption. I'm a huge fan of charity shops, thrift stores and eBay. Recycled does not have to mean tired or grubby at all. I've made some great purchases at charity shops but two are my best buys are captured in the pictures below.

This red Morgan De Toi coat which retails at well over a £150 cost me only £6.50 at the Salvation Army!! I spent another tenner dry cleaning it but it is still lovely yet so cheap. The leather boots are Clarks and retail at nearly £100 and cost me £4.50 at Oxfam! I bought the coat just a few weeks ago but the boots have lasted me 5 years already, second-hand! The scarf is 100% silk, possibly vintage and cost a couple of quid.  So before you think of buying another fashion item (or anything else for that matter), why not check out your local charity shops first. Every little makes a difference and it makes indulging in fashion a lot less frivolous.  Ann x

P.S.: Watch this space for some more posts where I'll share some of my ethical fashion outfits

Photography by Edward Chandler

Engineering meets Gastronomy at the Wapping Project

I love visiting London. Its an inspiring place and home to the quirkiest of restaurants and boutiques. Ed and I enjoy exploring unusual eating places and the Wapping Project was on the list. I vaguely knew it was a decommissioned hydropower station of sorts but that was about it. What I saw was thoroughly was inspiring, especially when you've seen several un-glamorous versions of similar structures. Clearly, creative thinking and entrepreneurship can achieve the unexpected. The Founder and Director of Wapping, Jules Wright, was at Wapping and gave us some fascinating insights into the structure's past. It once enabled the operation of lifts, machinery in most of Central London and also provided back-up for the Tower Bridge. For more info check out the Wapping Project website.  Now I need to get my colleagues thinking on what defunct structures we can convert into cool projects. The food was top-notch and the ambiance and service could not be faulted either. As we got to Wapping after a long day at the Olympics, I'm dressed in more of day wear. Here I'm wearing an Americal Apparel tube dress and  £1 cheery necklace from a local charity shop. Ann x

Exciting!!!! H&M + Margiela Preview!

Don’t miss this major event H&M + Maison Martin Margiela in select H&M stores starting November 15

The Fashion Tube

I'm on the tube after a long day that hasn't ended. I'm looking around with fatigue induced inspiration. And I'm fascinated.
The country girl all orange, tweed and curly haired.
Her daughter with her grimy Converse Chucks yet happy fluorescent legs.
The Goth boy with his dark blazer and sarong. All long haired darkness and soul searching.
The seventy something lady of beautiful grey bob. She wore fashion-forward palazzo pants.
The creepy man with great tartan socks.
The Chinese girl with the skirt to inspire Alexander Wang.
Vintage fedora hats, giant cocktail rings, appliqué bags and rugged leather coats
They all possessed something quirky and beautiful.
Even if I'm talking about the superficial.

Bonfire Night Experiments

I love bonfire night for many reasons: fireworks displays (but not so much the noise), toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate, toffee apples, hearty food and good friends. Bonfire night (or Guy Fawkes night) in England marks the annual celebration of the failed gunpowder plot. In 1605, the plot by Guy Fawkes and fellow conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill James I was foiled. Most communities in the country celebrate this day with bonfires and fireworks. It now represents an integral part of English tradition and is often combined with Halloween parties. And, its probably one good reason to visit the UK in November! If you are interested in some of the associated history, check out my post on Lyveden New Bield 

We decided to get together with some friends and build a bonfire in our allotment. We had some old wood and willow branches that needed burning and the bonfire was a good excuse to get that sorted. The boys built the bonfire while us girls drank mulled wine. And of course we had to have some fireworks! As much as we enjoyed our own version of fireworks, we also got a free display of a much more impressive nearby fireworks display.  I also experimented with some Halloween style toffee apples and I'll share the recipe soon.

What did you do on bonfire night? Ann x

An Autumn Morning in Stamford

Visitors to the Britain very often focus on London leaving the rest of the country and its offerings unexplored. Britain has several charming historic towns and villages which are well worth a visit. Stamford in Lincolnshire is one such medieval town with some of the finest Georgian architecture in the country. It is only down the road from where we live and I happened to spend a morning there at a photography workshop. Here are some snapshots of a cold Autumn morning in Stamford. Also, I can now converse in aperture and depth-of-field speak with rest of world.